Thousands of Vietnamese people attempted to escape their vicious system and cruel rulers by leaving their country by boat. They were called “The Boat People” – a pitiful band of refugees whose distress forced them to dangerous expedients to obtain relief and a liveable life.

I am reminded of another band of “boat people”, eight in all, ferried by a gigantic house-boat into a new world. But Noah and family were different from these Vietnamese.

First, they were directed bv God to build a refuge – THE ARK.The world was putrid with evil, “the Judge of all the earth” decided to wipe it out. But Noah pleased God, who planned to begin and fill a new world with a new race built on this man of faith (Heb 11:7). He was enabled to create a majestic vessel, and supernaturally stock it with creature-life for a new world.

Secondly, they were protected by God in the waters of judgement – “saved by water” – the FLOOD.For one whole year this company of man and beast was preserved to emerge into a cleansed world.

Thirdly, they were settled by God on a new earth to replenish it and establish a family of God.What a picture of our salvation Jesus is the Ark of Deliverance into which we enter and are saved from the judgement of sinners to emerge into “new heavens and a new earth” (2 Peter 3:11-13).

‘So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!— to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others. When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did. A soldier on duty doesn’t get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It’s the diligent farmer who gets the produce. Think it over. God will make it all plain.’

Paul writing to his son in the faith Timothy encourages him to do seven things so that he could become an effective leader:

1. JUMP INEffective leaders know that doing things slowly often is more painful than just jumping in and getting on with it. Maybe you need to throw yourself into that situation today and stop procrastinating!

2. PASS ONThere was a time when people would rather go to the grave with their secrets, but today effective leaders recognise that they are there to pass on everything they have to the people around them so that others can learn quickly what God wants them to know. It’s not how much you know that is impressive, but how much you’re passing on to others.

3. TOUGHEN UPThere are plenty of opportunities to get hurt, rejected and bitter in leadership. The way to avoid this is to get a thick skin, so the words of others bounce off, while keeping a soft heart to the needs and pains of those around you.

4. BE DISCIPLINEDAs leaders we need to be disciplined in every area of our lives so that we do not have a negative effect or impact on the church. Leaders who fail morally are not just tempted leaders, they are often lazy leaders who have become slack in their discipline and end up where they never meant to be.

5. STAY FOCUSEDOften in church life leaders get side-tracked from the main thing by listening and responding to everyone and everything else. If we are going to be effective leaders then we have to find out what it is we are created for and then stay focused on it!

6. DON’T CHEATIf we are going to be effective in our leadership then we have to understand that if we try and take short cuts or cheat in life then we will not succeed. Why? Because it’s God we are serving and ultimately ourselves we are cheating!
7. SOW WELLIf we are sowing discord, division and discouragement we will reap these things – but if we sow blessing, hope and love we will reap the same. In life it’s not what we have that predicts our future but what we are willing to sow into our future. Let’s sow generously to the right things so that we can produce the right harvest

George Zaharias, the husband of the great golfer Babe Didrikson Zaharias once told Bob Richards this story

Babe was dying of cancer, and he stood by her bed, crying like a baby. She said, “Now, honey, don’t take on so. While I’ve been in the hospital, I have learned one thing. A moment of happiness is a lifetime, and I have had a lot of happiness. I have a lot of it.”

Richards wrote about this later, in his book Heart of a Champion: “That’s courage … to stress the quality of life rather than just the quantity, to meet life’s greatest tragedy with a smile.. .. That’s what makes courage.”